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Indians not likely to become sellers

Indians not likely to become sellers

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CLEVELAND -- The Trade Deadline is a week away, and this year, there's a different vibe in the Indians' clubhouse.

The trades of Kerry Wood, Jake Westbrook and Jhonny Peralta weren't surprises to many last season, as the Indians dealt all three veterans to make room for young players like Josh Tomlin and Jason Donald.

"Everybody knew that at some point, [Wood] was going to go, Westbrook was going to go, and there was a very good chance that Jhonny was going to go," Tribe skipper Manny Acta said.

This year, with the team in contention, and with much of the club's premier young talent already on the big league roster, the Indians aren't likely to become sellers in the next week. That alone has created a more relaxed atmosphere in the clubhouse.

"This year, we're not just developing guys and using the year just to rebuild and be buried 20 games out of first place," Acta said. "We're in it, so there's a possibility that we'll be buyers instead of moving guys out of our locker room. It's a totally different story."

Acta and general manager Chris Antonetti have stated the case for the team to bring in offensive help via trade, especially with outfielders Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo both on the 15-day disabled list. The issue for the Indians, then, is which prospects to part with in such a deal.

Second baseman Jason Kipnis, the team's No. 3 prospect, debuted with the big league club on Friday. He said trade rumors don't bother him.

"I don't listen to that stuff or read about that stuff or hear about that stuff," Kipnis said. "If I'm traded, then I go play for that team. But for now, I'm with the Indians and am loving it here and am going to play hard for these guys."